Patent GB-190610416-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the Change Speed Gear of Power Propelled Vehicles.
Inventor: MEYER ERNST GUSTAV
Filed: 1906-05-03
Granted: 1907-05-02
Abstract: 10,416. Meyer, E. G. May 3. Variable-speed gearing; clutches.-Relates to means for isolating the changespeed gearing of powerpropelled vehicles from the engine and road wheels during the operation of changing speed, and consists in inserting a oneway clutch of the friction gripping type between the change-speed gear and the road wheels, the clutch being fixed when the reverse is put into gear so as to permit a reverse drive. Means are also described for ensuring that the gear cannot be changed until the main clutch is disconnected. The clutch employed may, according to the Provisional Specification, be similar to that described in Specification No. 2267, A.D. 1905. Fig. 1 shows a plan of the arrangement. The e ngine shaft c drives the shaft d of the changespeed gear through the main clutch b, and the shaft d drives the shaft m either directly or at various speeds s through the countershaft g. The shaft m drives the shaft n connected to the road wheels, through a clutch which is normally a one-way clutch, but is fixed, so as to drive in either direction, whenever the handlever 9 is operated to adjust the sliding rod 8 and thereby shift the reverse pinion i into gear with the idle wheel k, the rod 4 operating the clutch being connected for this purpose to the rod 8 by a slotted link 11. Any suitable brake may be used for retarding the change - speed gearing when isolated. In the arrangement shown, the clutch member b when withdrawn sufficiently engages a fixed stop 30. To ensure the main clutch being released before the speed is changed, a toothed segment 16 mounted on the gear-operating shaft, is engaged by a detent 17, which can only be raised by depressing the clutch pedal 18. The additional clutch 20 may be disposed within the gear box, for instance, it may be directly connected to the wheel h. A suitable form of clutch is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The driven shaft n connected to the road wheels carries a disk o having an annular groove p in its outer face in which engage lugs q of cramps or gripping-devices r, the lugs q being free to slide in the groove p. The cramps r are pressed forward by springs u bearing against lugs v secured in any suitable position in slots w<1> in the disk w mounted on the driving-shaft m. The inner ends of the cramps are thus caused to bear against teeth or projections s on the end of the shaft m, so that they are tilted and tend to bind in the groove p. The forward drive thus takes place through the shaft m, teeth s, cramp q, disk o, and shaft n, the latter being free to overrun. For reverse driving, a second set of reversely arranged cramps q<1> is allowed to come into operation. The cramps q<1> are similarly pressed by springs against the opposite sides of the teeth s, the driving and driven shaft being thus locked together. During forward driving, the cramps q<1> are kept out of engagement by stops x, which prevent them tilting and binding in the groove p. The stops x are screwed into levers y pivoted on pins carried by the disk w, the ends of the levers being engaged by a cam 3 operated by a lever 4 connected to the reversing-gear.